A San Francisco man was just convicted in federal court of conspiring to sell ecstasy, possessing ecstasy with intent to distribute, and possessing more than 10 grams of LSD with intent to distribute. On the LSD charge alone, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. We had no idea the punishment was so steep!

35-year-old Oshan Cook was one of four people arrested in a DEA sting operation in Oakland in 2010. Evidence in the trial showed that Cook and his co-conspirators were looking sell three pounds of powdered MDMA at $18,000 per pound (enough for 5,000 to 10,000 ecstasy tablets or a really insane molly party), and Cook had on a backpack at the time containing 1.3 pounds of E and 1.3 ounces of liquid LSD. Cook went to trial while the other three plead guilty and received sentences of one to five years in prison.

Cook is seen as the supplier to the other three who pleaded guilty, and will likely see a stiffer sentence, possibly of ten years or more. Cook is the owner of recently closed tea house Om Shan Tea in the Mission, and his brother and friends had put together this indiegogo campaign to pay for a "good lawyer," however the $25,000 funding goal was never met.

This is actually the second time Cook has been on trial, with a July trial ending in a mistrial after one juror refused to convict him.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White will conduct sentencing on January 17, and Cook faces maximum sentences of 20 years each for the ecstasy charges, and a maximum sentence of life in prison for the LSD.

[BCN/Appeal]
[HuffPo]